So very true. I once worked at a company where one of the Vice Presidents took obviously sadistic pleasure in torturing people below him in the company hierarchy.

He even said to me once in private, with a smirk on his face, “I love scaring the hell out of people. Watch how I can make them shake when I threaten their ability to support their family. It feels good to have this much power.”

Adult bullying—particularly in the workplace, where people are often terrified of losing their source of income—is a serious problem and society has to stop ignoring it. You may be “the boss” but that does not give you the right to brutalize and abuse the people who work for you. –Father and Husband, Seattle

This comment is from an NYT op-ed piece on about bullying and Lady Gaga’s official unveiling of her Born This Way Foundation at Harvard.

Sadly, the comment isn’t outlandish or even a recent phenomenon.

A memory dating back to the late Seventies is of a VP whose favorite pastime was forcing the managers under him to run layoffs a few days before Christmas; he really got off on that.

Last year Stanford prof Bob Sutton published Good Boss, Bad Boss about how power makes us focus more on our own needs and wants and less on others, also to act like the rules apply to others and not to us.

Based on new research Sutton has added more material on what he terms “power poisoning” to the recently released paperback version.

“Alas, recent developments suggest that staying in tune with the people you oversee is even more difficult than this book suggests. And the other disturbing effects of wielding power over others are even worse than I thought.”

Worse than Sutton thought? That, indeed, is a scary statement and one that should get your attention.

Bad Bosses are the source of bad cultures; there is absolutely no way to separate them.

Bad cultures are the source of bad results; there is absolutely no way to separate them.

This makes it simple for you to know if you have a case of power poisoning, as well as how severe it is.

Look at the results of your organization, whether team, department, division or company.

Just yours, not in combination with the rest of the company or in light of the economy or any other of the dozens of rationalizations available.

If you can actually do that you are at least half way to being able to counter the poison and reading Good Boss, Bad Boss will actually be worth your time.

Image credit: B Garrett

Today offers up four looks at executives and bosses, the folks we love to hate.

A lot of people claim that the whole idea of income inequality has been blown out of proportion, but, looking at your own paycheck, you have to wonder how/why CEO pay increased 30-40%.

“Bosses won in every area, with dramatic increases in pensions, payoffs and perks – as well as salary.”

One would think that all that money would add up to job insecurity, but apparently not.

“It turns out that many CEOs are feeling insecure about their jobs, too.”

Workers, even those with raises, are insecure, too, and new research out of Harvard says bosses are making it worse.

“…managers at all levels routinely—and unwittingly—undermine the meaningfulness of work for their direct subordinates through everyday words and actions.”

As function-rich mobile phones proliferate the need to understand them increases and the results of ignorance become more pronounced—not to mention embarrassing. File this one under “lessons learned.”

“He said he made sure to turn it off before the concert, not realizing that the alarm clock had accidentally been set and would sound even if the phone was in silent mode.

“I didn’t even know phones came with alarms,” the man said. “

Enjoy!
Flickr image credit: pedroelcarvalho

A Friday series exploring Startups and the people who make them go. Read all If the Shoe Fits posts here

Hmm, does the following look like a list of characteristics often attributed to founders?

1. See themselves and their companies as dominating their environment
2. Identify so completely with the company that there is no clear boundary between their personal interests and their corporation’s interests
3. Think they have all the answers
4. Ruthlessly eliminate anyone who isn’t completely behind them
5. Consummate spokespersons, obsessed with the company image
6. Underestimate obstacles
7. Stubbornly rely on what worked for them in the past

Do you preen a bit when they are applied to you, albeit using less harsh language?

Do you see them, with the exception or modification of number seven, as the traits that will help drive your company to success?

Would it surprise you to know that the list is from The Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Executives in Forbes?

Do you agree with the many comments saying that the same traits are found in highly successful CEOs, with Steve Jobs as most frequent example? In other words, it’s not the traits, but the actions they drive that matter most.

Do you embody these traits?

What actions do they drive in you?

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Flickr image credit: HikingArtist

It’s the time for Best and Worst lists, so here are links to some I found interesting.

First up is Dan McCarthy’s January Leadership Development Carnival: Best of 2011 Edition as chosen by each blogger.

Now take a look at the companies with the potential to unseat, or at least rattle, Zynga’s social gaming crown.

Many people died last year, some famous, but many just everyday people. They were important in their own world and their stories make fascinating reading. I especially liked the story of Keith W. Tantlinger; few have heard of him, but he profoundly changed our lives.

At the other end of the 2011 spectrum are the Worst CEO Screwups along with the Worst CEOs.

Are you familiar with the Pogie Awards? They “celebrate the best ideas of the year: ingenious features that somehow made it out of committee and into real-world products, even if the resulting products aren’t that great.”

I get really sick of all the lousy ads, especially those for drugs. Ugh! That said, I do enjoy good ads, such as 2011’s top ten ads based on analysis by Zeta Interactive.

Finally, here are enough 2011 trivia questions to make your get togethers interesting for at least three or four months.

Enjoy!

Flickr image credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region

People tend to take their role models whole; kind of an all or nothing approach, which isn’t a very smart approach. A few weeks ago I wrote that in some ways Steve Jobs isn’t the greatest role model. Take a look at some others better taken piecemeal or even not at all.

Graham B. Spanier did an amazing job growing Penn State into a powerhouse, but threw up defenses at the first hint of criticism. Says close-to-retiring anthropology professor E. Paul Durrenberger, “If you’re always focused on promoting the brand and there’s no scrutiny, that leads to covering up.”

On the surface Eric Lefkofsky, co-founder and chairman of Groupon, may look like a great role model, but due diligence is as important when assessing role models as investments.

Lefkofsky’s track record, reflecting failures and successes, bears certain hallmarks: rapid revenue growth accompanied by big losses, a penchant to sell stock early on, and lawsuits filed by investors, lenders or customers who feel they have been wronged. … Lefkofsky and his family have already cashed out $382 million from Groupon before the IPO filing.

Successful founders are considered excellent role models, but is there a down side when they stay?

Visionaries are fantastic, but their companies are often notoriously hard to run. Sometimes, these leaders cling to dated visions and stifle innovation. And sometimes, they simply won’t get out of the way. Promising executives with new ideas get fed up and leave.

Many entrepreneurs are known for the size of their egos and none more so than those from Russia, but not all of them buy a sports team, larger yacht or another home. Several years ago Vladimir Kekhman, who made millions in bananas and other fruit, left his company to focus on the local ballet company; he just pulled off another “first” by pirating two premier dancers from the Bolshoi.

And Mr. Kekhman, at age 43, recently gave up all of his day-to-day responsibilities as a major owner of Russia’s biggest fruit company to focus on the Mikhailovsky. “I have a new profession right now,” he said. “And this profession has brought a new life to me.”

Finally, good health role models lurking in a place you would never expect to find any—long-haul truckers.

“I’m being stupid if I don’t lose the weight,” she said, “because I’ll lose my job.” – Jill Garcia, 50, a driver from San Antonio

Flickr image credit: pedroelcarvalho

Today is National Boss day and, contrary to what some think, it was not conceived by Hallmark to sell more cards. It was actually registered Patricia Bays Haroski in 1958 in honor of her boss, who was also her father. So in honor of all bosses out there, from team leaders to CEOs, I offer up these quotes by and about bosses.

According to H. S. M. Burns, “A good manager is a man who isn’t worried about his own career but rather the careers of those who work for him.” There are plenty of managers that still meet that description, but they don’t make good media fodder.

Culture is proof that likes attract, which is why you find so many managers who fit Peter Drucker’s description in the same company. “So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work.”

Not to mention the truth of as spoken by General Joe Stillwell, “The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of his behind.”

Sam Walton saw bosses in a different light, “There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.” What Walton didn’t see is that workers are also customers of their boss and they, too, can vote with their feet.

And Robert Frost offers up irreverent advice for those who want to become bosses, “By working faithfully eight hours a day, you may eventually get to be a boss and work twelve hours a day.”

After spending more than a decade as a recruiter I can attest to the truth of John Gotti’s comment, “If you think your boss is stupid, remember: you wouldn’t have a job if he was any smarter.”

Finally, for all those stuck in a Dilbert-like world there is Homer Simpson’s fantasy to fuel yours, “Kill my boss? Do I dare live out the American dream?”

Flickr image credit: ilovememphis

It is useful to occasionally take the time to understand the origins and path of something that is truly shocking—or should be—and the role culture plays in it.

The worst first: San Bruno, California 2010 where a gas line in exploded killing eight people, destroying 38 homes and causing significant additional damage. According to employees, there was “…a pervasive corporate culture where employees were discouraged from reporting safety problems and feared retaliation if they did.“ If what employees say is true, and evidence is mounting that it is, management at PG&E should be thankful they aren’t in England where they would probably be charged with corporate manslaughter.

There is no penalty for maiming or killing careers and corporations. In fact, the guilty parties are often rewarded with copious amounts of cash, stock and other goodies. Such is the case of Jeff Kindler, ex CEO of Pfizer, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company, and Mary McLeod, his hand-picked head of HR. Together they trashed a powerful culture and brought Pfizer to its knees. Although Kindler was fired, his “exit package of $16 million in cash and stock, another $6.9 million in retirement benefits, and various other forms of stock compensation” makes you wonder what a hero would receive upon leaving. Fortune’s in-depth story is fascinating reading for workers and a powerful lesson for anyone in a management role, no matter the level.

Finally, an excellent analysis of the challenges faced and solutions used  by Jamie Oliver when he found that he had to change a community’s culture before it would change its eating habits (documented on Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution) as applied to changing corporate culture.

Flickr image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedroelcarvalho/2812091311/

Toxic corporate culture isn’t limited to corporations; you can find it anywhere you care to look. Toxic culture doesn’t involve just one specific set of actions; rather it is a permissive atmosphere in which various negative and destructive actions are accommodated.

What happens when a leader uses a culture of fear, intimidation and retaliation to enhance results and gain good press? Exactly what happened to the Atlanta school system.

Goldman Sachs’s toxic locker room culture has been written about and condemned for years, but nothing really changes. Earlier this month a federal judge refused to reconsider Goldman Sachs’ efforts to force arbitration on the women who filed a class action suite against the firm. I hope they win the suite, but I doubt that even that will have much effect. No matter how large the damages they would be a drop in the bucket for Goldman.

I frequently hear women complain about guys hitting on them at conferences and, to be fair, I’m hearing more often from men asking how to handle unwanted advances from women. In a recent post on the subject Tim O’Reilly, whose company produces tech conferences such as Oscon, talks about the problem and states that such actions won’t be tolerated and that’s good. But the tone of the post is mild, calling actions such as stalking and unwanted sexual advances “a no-no” and saying, “If we hear that you are that guy, we will investigate, and you may be asked to leave.” MAY be asked to leave? Shouldn’t anyone proven to have acted in any of the manners mentioned be TOLD to leave and, if the actions are severe enough, barred from future events?

Any organizational culture that is permeated with “toxic leaders,” those who “put their own needs first, micro-manage subordinates, behave in a mean-spirited manner or display poor decision making” has a problem. Just ask the US Army, which is considering using 360-degree evaluations in its command selection process to weed them out.

Rather than leave you on a downer or with a bad taste in your mouth, take a look at the first article in a series from Fast Company on how good companies build positive cultures. The first example is MailChimp and includes CEO Ben Chestnut’s 5 Rules for a Creative Culture. If the rest of the series is as useful as the MailChimp example it will be well-worth following.

Enjoy!

Flickr image credit: pedroCarvalho

Oh, the irony of it. Today is International (Working) Women’s Day, but it’s also Be Nasty Day!

International Women’s Day dates back to 1911, while Be Nasty Day seems to be only a few years old.

(International Women’s Day has always focused on workers, but, for my money, all women work—ask any stay-at-home mom if she works, but be sure to duck when you ask!)

The odds and ends I found about Be Nasty Day all recommend reducing it to being gently naughty and not cruel.

But nasty is rarely gentle and is often cruel. It makes me wonder who thought of Be Nasty Day and if celebrating on March 8 was an accident or intentional.

There are thousands of bosses out there for whom every day is Be Nasty Day. You will find them at every level, in every industry and in all walks of life.

There are thousands of individuals, from professionals to laborers; they are police, firemen, men and women of the cloth, politicians, you-name-it for who nasty is a daily occurrence.

Bullies are obviously nasty, as are mean girls—and boys.

Nasty inhabits people regardless of race, creed, color, gender, politics, economic level, height, weight, or any other label you care to apply

Most people don’t admit to being nasty, they rationalize it, excuse it, dress it up as something different or laugh it off.

Just as nasty has been embraced and accepted into our culture, many individuals drank the nasty Kool-Aid and it’s become part of their MAP.

So, in honor of Be Nasty Day, make being nasty a conscious choice.

And if you do choose nasty at least stop apologizing for it.

That way you’ll have the courage of your convictions to keep you warm, since you certainly won’t have any friends.

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zedbee/103147140/

Someone once said, “Too often we are so preoccupied with the destination, we forget the journey.”

Bad management, at any level, is often a function of focusing on the destination and forgetting the journey.

The destination is usually quantified as “success,” a smoky concept at best, or more specifically goals, such as raising productivity, increasing sales, launching a new product, etc.

Then the journey would seem to be those things needed to achieve the goals, but is that accurate?

More and more modern research and studies are showing that the journey is better defined as company culture, since it is the culture from which success—and everything else—flows.

No matter at what level you manage, the culture that flows from you will define the environment in which your people work and that, in turn, will define and drive your success.

In an era of global competition and a fast moving business environment the best managers make sure they mind their metrics and their cultures—but not in that order.

Image credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zedbee/103147140/